Chicago Time!!

[Neo]

Alright, during my living arrangements in Chicago I managed to capture a couple thousand (yes, a couple thousand) pictures not to mention lots of video, etc. of the city. While I'm not gonna post all of them, I did wade through a couple hundred pictures tonight for you to see. Some of these are RARE and I'll more than likely be one of the few people if not the ONLY person to bring you views. I had an office on the 73rd floor of the AON Center which is the 2nd tallest skyscraper in Chicago and 3rd tallest in America. Since it doesn't have an observation deck like the Sears Tower and John Hancock you obviously have to work there in order to take pictures or video from it. It had 80 usable floors, so I was near the top. Enjoy!

From my apartment's balcony

Michigan Avenue

Would you believe I forgot the name of this church? It was located the corner opposite of my apartment complex on State & Superior

Edge of Lincoln Park (John Hancock side)

The beach of Lake Michigan in the winter...notice the frozen water, LOL

Looking west from my work

Looking down facing west from work...I got sick the first couple of days working here, you can obviously see why, LOL!

Looking west towards Sears

Looking northwest

Another westward

Taken from a bike trail with Shedd Aquarium on the left

From Grant Park (lakeside)

Metra Commuter Rail tracks running through Grant Park

Washington Red Line subway stop

Pong in Lincoln Park by the zoo, notice the ducks walking on the pond, LOL!

Chicago Red Line subway stop (this is my station)

Hellooooooo, is anyone in there??

It snowed one day while I was at work...I was breathtaken by this when I started home...

The same snow I think, but taken the day after from work, looking east

Ice skating in Grant Park

Taken from Lincoln Park

It's snowing!! This was from my balcony...man, it gets cold out there in the winter

Taken from work facing northeast

Taken from work looking north

Taken from work looking north again

I'm wanting to say this was residential?

From work looking southeast at Meigs Field (or what used to be...what a shame)

From work facing south overlooking Grant Park

Looking down the river

Look at all of the bridges!

Lakeside...these things are cool!

Ahhhh, it's snowing again!!

I'll have more at a later date, it takes a while to pick pictures out, upload them and post them. Hope you enjoyed!

[DevinLee]

I really hate you now Neo. I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU GOT TO WORK IN AON! Ok, I am good now.

[turlough]

NICE no REAL NICE no VERY NICE no AWSOME

[Neo]

I really hate you now Neo. I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU GOT TO WORK IN AON! Ok, I am good now.

I think we should all take a field trip to Chicago...

Now that I've made my decision never to get married again I may just move back there. It's great for us single guys.

[LSyd]

Chicago's now #1 on places ihaven't visited to go to...well, i've "been there," but not in downtown.

awesome pics, thanks for posting them, i'm jealous...one day i'll work high, too.

-

[Randy Sandford]

Great pics, Neo! I went to Chicago for an interview 4 years ago but only had about 4 hours to explore The Loop (but I did make it to the top of Sears Tower at least). Need to go back sometime.

BTW, how did a 21-year-old guy get lucky enough to work in the AON Center and live in a swanky, Chicago highrise apartment building? Are you a child prodigy who graduated from college early, or were you working there while you were in college?

[Neo]

BTW, how did a 21-year-old guy get lucky enough to work in the AON Center and live in a swanky, Chicago highrise apartment building? Are you a child prodigy who graduated from college early, or were you working there while you were in college?

I don't like telling these stories to people because I consider it to be rude. What I don't want to do is to give people the impression that I think I'm better than anyone else, so please don't take any of this that way because that's not who I am.

I graduated high school a year early. I took a pilot college course to see if I could pass a bunch of computer exams in a short amount of time. In essence I took 2 years of tech school in one year. At the end of my one year I went to take my cert tests so I got A+, Novell CNA, MCP, blah blah blah within a 2 month time frame. The pilot program I was requested to do told me that if I passed all of my exams that they would pay for them 100%. So I passed them all, LOL! When I graduated high school I went to work for a local manufacturing company who makes the large industrial grade knitting machines for Hanes, Gildan, etc. which is where your clothes come from. I wired their industrial computers and placed all of the boards, etc. in a high voltage box...yeah, kinda boring. I took some electronics and electric classes too, so that's how I got that job. I worked there for 9 months and was laid off. I knew a layoff was coming so 2 months prior I started my own business, MidTech Informational Technologies (http://www.midtechonline.com). It's been a side income ever since. I did it full time for a couple of months after my layoff and I started blindly submitting resume's to companies in Charlotte. I got no bites so I then looked to other places that I'd like to live. #1 was NYC, #2 was Chicago and #3 was San Francisco with a few scattered here and there. I sent resume's to these places, even ones that didn't broadcast a job as being open. A law firm in Chicago called me and asked me to come for an interview so my parents and I took a 4 day vacation to Chicago. I figured I'd never get the job being that it was for a prestigious law firm and that it was a good ways from my home. They called me back a couple weeks later and said I'd gotten the job and asked me when I could move. They told me what my salary would be and I had to ask them again because I just didn't believe them, LOL! I moved up there to the apartment I had picked out online and a week after my move I started working there. The law firm split earlier this year and here I am in Charlotte again. Upon my return I was asked for another interview without even submitting a resume. One of my parents' neighbors is the GM for a company in Concord, NC and he found out I was back from Chicago and wanted me to fill a position at his company. So while I still have my own business I run on the side I am a full-time employee now as an IT Manager. I wish it was in a downtown area, but this will do, and I'm only 21 so I have plenty of time to move on up. So that's my mini life story, LMAO!!

[Brickhead]

Those pictures are amazing! Thanks for posting them.

Chicago looks like a geat place to live and work, but I don't know if I could handle the winters.

BTW, great job story, Neo. It's always good to hear about motivated people who use their talents and are wise enough to grab life's opportunities.

[Neo]

Those pictures are amazing! Thanks for posting them.

Chicago looks like a geat place to live and work, but I don't know if I could handle the winters.

BTW, great job story, Neo. It's always good to hear about motivated people who use their talents and are wise enough to grab life's opportunities.

Well, luck never helps either. LOL! I'd say a great deal was indeed luck, but I've been messing with computers since my 4.77MHz 8088, LOL!! That's before they had color screens too, so it's literally about all I know. It's also hard for me to get interested in things other than computers or technology. Eh, win some you lose some.

[Neo]

Since I'm in High school I' ll say this when I finish High school I want to be just like you . I want to get in the computer fields can you tell me what should I do since your my mentor and all now

[De Snor]

F-a-n-t-a-s-t-i-c pictures of a great city

[turlough]

WELCOME DE SNOR

[Scott]

Wow, how did I miss this awesome thread!!! Fantastic pictures!!!

[Southend]

Neo- AMAZING PICS MAN!!! chicago looks great in those shots.

and an even more AMAZING story- much respect to you. we need to have a charlotte forum meet soon.